Wheel-sled



(No McdeL) N. HARPER.

WHEEL SLED. No. 315,616. Patented Apr. 14, 1885.

UNITED STATES harass @rricn.

NATHAN HARPER, OF SE\VARK, NEW JERSEY.

WHEEL-SLED.

SPECIPZCAI'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,616, April 14, 1885.

Application Sled March 17, 1854. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, NATHAN IIARPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New J ersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy \lheel-Sleds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvementsin that class of toys for childrens amuse- Inent known as parlor or wheeled sleds, the object of the invention being to moreperfectly adapt such a device for all the purposes of an ordinary sled, and to enable the children to more fully enjoy at all seasons of the year and in all sections-0f the country the same pleasant sensations of coasting and allied sports as are now attainable with the ordinary sled only for a brief period in winter on the snow and in the northern latitudes.

The invention consists in the arrangements and combinations of parts substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each-of the several fig ures, Figure l is a plan of the toy. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Figs. 3 and 5 are plans of the device inverted to show the arrangements of the wheels; and Fig. at is a side view illustrating a modified construction of the runners.

In said drawings, a is the top board of a sled, having permanently secured thereto at or near its lateral edges comparatively narrow strips or runners I) b,the front ends thereof being rounded or beveled upwardto permit the sled to be used in the ordinary way upon snow or ice, and which, when the vehicle is traveling on its wheels, will enableit to climb over slight inequalities and obstructions that otherwise would arrest its progress. Said runners may be shod with metal, if desired. The top board is secured directly upon the upper edges of the narrow side strip to bring the same near to the floor and to lighten the sled, so that a child may easily run along the floor with the said sled in hand to gain impetus prior to exercising in the sport known as going bellygutters. The top board extends centrally across the top of the sled to provide a suitable support for the body when lying longitudinally thereon, and is thus distinguishable from a somewhat similar structure, for an entirely different purpose, however, having top boards at each end,but widely separated, so as to materially interfere with the enjoyment of the above-named exercise.

Beneath the top board, on the inner side of the runners, are pivoted wheels or rollers e, the peripheries of which project somewhat below the line of the runners. Said rollers are preferably secured in such manner as to enable them to be easily detached from the sled, if it is desired to use said sled without them upon the ice. For this purpose bolts and nuts h h are used in fastening the rollers. The arrangement of said wheels is substantially as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, in which ff are bars or stripsseoured by glue, screws, nails, or otherwise to the underside of the top board, a, and parallel,or nearly so, with the runners. These bars orstrips may be separated between the front and rear wheels, or be continued from one wheel to the other, as at f the latter form adding greatly to the support and strength of the top. In the recess or angle between said bars and the runners are inserted the blocks 9, which are secured to the said bars 2 and runners, the bars and strips cooperating 3' to brace the said top board and runners and hold the parts firmlyand securely in fixed relation to each other. Said bars f may be such depth as shall be desired, and, together with the runners b, they form journal-bearings for the wheels or rollers e, and at the same time act as guards to said wheels both on the inner and outer sides thereof. It will therefore be seen that in this structure the runners perform several functions in addition to those of the ordinary sleds. They provide bearings for the wheels, guard the wheels from damage by external objects, and also perfectly shield the hands and clothing of the user from being entangled or injured by said wheels.

The relation of the forward wheels with the rounded or beveled runners is such that the wheels are prevented from striking in the for- IfO ' ward progress of the sled at their dead-cen ters and be brought to a sudden stop. In other words, the wheels are prevented from making a contact with any fixture except at a point on the periphery thereof horizontally below the line of the axial center, the said dead-center being covered or protected by the beveled runners at the sides of the wheels. Should the sled run against a comparatively high obstacle, the inclines at the end of the runner co-operate with the wheels in causing the sled to rise over said obstacle, the inclines directing the said obstacle to a point on the periphery of the wheel below the dead center thereof, to prevent said obstacle from catching in theangle between the wheel and end of the runner, and stopping further progress ofthesled,as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 2. I secure said wheels on axial bolts which pass directly through the runners and bars, as shown in Fig. 3, said bolts aiding in giving additional stiffness and security to the parts,as well as providingjournals for the rollers. The exterior extremities or heads of the bolts are preferably arranged in countersunk perforations in the outside of the runners, making a smooth surface therewith. Said bolts may extend from side to side of the sled, as shown in outline at i, Fig. 3, thereby increasing its rigidity and strength.

In lieu of the barsfand blocks g, I may cast or otherwise form an iron frame provided with bearings for the rollers or wheels, and adapted to act as a brace for the top board and runners or outside guards; but, as this would involve an increase in the cost of construction, I

prefer for general use the mode hereinbefore described, and shown in the drawings.

Th-ewheels are preferably formed from hard wood, and have comparatively wide and rounded peripheral surfaces, as shown at c, Fig. 5. This construction allows the sled to be used on a carpet without injury from cutting or by the turning of the sled.

In Fig. 4 the runners or outside guards are shown with a recess between the front and rear wheels, producing the form known as a bobsled.

Where the sled is not intended for use on snow or ice, these outside guards may be constructed in .a variety of forms and still perform all the functions hereinbefore described, except that of acting as runners.

The toy herein described is adapted to every variety of sport and exercise on the snow or ice for which the ordinary sled is available, and, in addition thereto, can be used in the same way in all seasons, times, and places where snow and ice do not exist.

I am aware that it is not new to provide 'childrens sleds with wheels whereby they may be used with some degree of success upon a parlor-floor or other frictional surface. I do not, therefore, claim such a device, broadly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1 1. An improved toy wheeled sled consisting, essentially, of runners rounded or beveled at their forward extremities, wheels j ournaled at the sides of said runners, and having only a lower portion below the horizontal line of the pivotal center project below or .beyond the lower or beveled edges of said runners, the said rounded or beveled edges of the runners covering the dead-center of the wheel, and a top board, all said parts being arranged and combined substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The improved wheeled sled consisting, essentially, of a' sled having a top board extending centrally along the top of the runners,

said runners having beveled or rounded forward extremities, angle blocks or pieces secured against the bottom of said top board and the inner sides of the said runners to brace said top board, and runners and wheels journaled between said blocks and runners and protected thereby, said parts being arranged and combined substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of February, 1884.

NATHAN HARPER.

Witnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, OHARLEs H. PELL. 

